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Lincoln/Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan

Community Facilities

COMMUNITY FACILITIESThis section reviews the projected status of community facilities during the planning period. This

includes the Lincoln City Libraries, public safety (fire services and law enforcement), medicalhealth care, and public buildings and facilities.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

h Public buildings and structures should be well built, functional, and designed to blend attrac-tively within the context of surrounding development or to serve as a guide for future devel-opment or redevelopment.

h Public art is an important means by which the community can strengthen a sense of place andpromote a positive image.

h Libraries are important centers of activity and education, and should grow along with thecommunity while keeping their center in downtown.

h As the community grows, law enforcement and fire services must be able to respond tochanging needs in order to provide public safety services.

h Future public buildings should be designed, built, and maintained to ensure good indoor airquality to help protect the public’s health.

STRATEGIES

6 The Urban Design Committee should serve as an advisory board on the design of city buildings and other public

projects, major public/private developments, and any private projects constructed on city right of way or other city

property.

6 Part of the conceptualization and design of any major public construction should be an investigation of the possibili-

ty for inclusion of public art.

6 The main branch of the library should remain in the downtown area.

6 Lincoln Fire Department should continue to identify needed fire facilities that will allow them to maintain a response

time of 3.5 minutes or less to any area of the city.

6 The location of public buildings should support the policies of the Comprehensive Plan

6 The City’s government center must remain Downtown. All efforts should be made to locate local, state, and federal

offices Downtown when expansions and relocations are considered.

URBAN DESIGN

City government uses the volunteer advisory services of an Urban Design Committee (UDC). This is a group of design

professionals and interested citizens appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council. The Committee is

charged with advising the Mayor, City Council, Planning Commission, city boards, and city departments on the design of

city buildings and other public projects, major public/private developments, and any private projects constructed on city

right of way or other city property. The Committee’s intent is to make sure that new public facilities are exemplary – that

they provide functional and aesthetically pleasing facilities for the public, and model good design for the private sector.

9

The Committee also works to publicize and reward good design, private as well as public, through an annual awards pro-

gram.

The benefits of this free advice would be strengthened by including all public projects under UDC review, just as the

Environs Commission reviews projects of all local and state governmental units. LES has brought projects to UDC, and

Lincoln Public Schools has used the committee’s input on siting communication towers. But the Public Building

Commission, which provides facilities for City and County government, does not currently benefit by UDC review,

although it is the major developer of local government buildings. Lancaster County, the Railroad Safety Transportation

District, the Airport Authority, and other units of local government could all utilize this experienced volunteer board.

PUBLIC ART

Cities can strengthen their sense of place and positive image through promotion of artworks in public places. The Lincoln

Arts Council demonstrated the power of public art through its invigorating “Tour de Lincoln” project and is promoting a

downtown “art corridor” on 12th Street. The Arts Council may expand its activities in the future to assist with public art

plans for downtown, Antelope Valley, and the city’s key entryways.

Lincoln would improve the design of its public buildings and facilities, and expand its inventory of public artworks, by an

early integration of the efforts of artists with architects and engineers on future projects. Cities like Seattle and Phoenix are

more interesting places, with a stronger sense of local pride and identity, as a result of their efforts to integrate art in the

design of many public construction projects. In the past, most public facilities in Lincoln were designed without opportuni-

ties for artistic expression, or with art added only as an afterthought. Local government should include artists on the design

teams for major construction projects from the conceptual stage, and budget to incorporate artistic expression. The

Antelope Valley Redevelopment Plan has accomplished this by including the integration of public art as an important com-

ponent in the planning and design of public structures in the project area.

LINCOLN CITY LIBRARIES

As the Lincoln City Libraries plan the delivery of information services to the community, it is guided by three principles.

First is the mission which has been established for the library system. Second – given that information delivery is so close-

ly tied to information technology – is the state of technology when the demands of the community require an expanded sys-

tem. Third is the geographic and population size of the community, as well as its physical layout, which are critical to plan-

ning library services.

Library services, similar to many other public services, must be provided to the “built community” regardless of how the

community grows. Library planners will be carefully observing patterns of growth and development within the community.

The intent will be to provide balanced, accessible service to the entire community. Neighborhood and Downtown develop-

ment, transportation corridors, public school patterns, and the plans of agencies and services with which the public library

system might develop partnerships will all be critical to the way in which library services will be provided for Lincoln in

the next twenty-five years.

There should be an electronic library initiative among UNL, LPS, other school

districts and public libraries in the County and Lincoln City Libraries to establish

mutual access via the Internet to digital library assets.

Downtown is the heart of our community, and strong community facilities are

essential to maintaining downtown vitality. The Downtown Master Plan has

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Draft October 25, 2006

identified the importance of maintaining the location of the main library in the downtown area. Any future renovation

and/or relocation plans must involve sites that maintain or augment pedestrian and mass transit accessibility and continue

the main library’s role as a core community facility in traditional geographic downtown.

PUBLIC SAFETY

FIRE PROTECTION

Lincoln Fire Department

The Lincoln Fire Department anticipates the need for additional fire stations

to service the City’s projected expansion during the 25 year planning period.

These new stations would house a variety of “Fire and Rescue” and

“Emergency Medical” units. In general the new facilities would be placed in

growth areas to the north, east, southeast, south, and southwest. No specific

locations have been identified for these possible stations in the

Comprehensive Plan. The Department also routinely monitors the response

time of all existing stations. Changing development patterns or other condi-

tions may warrant the relocation of these stations.

Rural Fire Districts

The 17 rural volunteer fire departments will continue to see increasing challenges. As growing population in the small

towns, villages, and rural areas, as well as increased traffic, will continue to create demands for fire and emergency servic-

es. The physical growth of the City of Lincoln will cause changes to the character of some areas and to the tax base of

many districts. An expansion of the requirements to meet the evolving fire needs in the rural areas, such as fire ponds and

dry hydrants, should be investigated.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

The Lincoln Police Department and Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office are anticipated to remain as the sole providers of law

enforcement services to the city and county during the planning period. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to provide con-

tract law enforcement support to the various incorporated towns of the county. The overall increase in population in the

city and county will increase the demand for police and sheriff services in the urban, small town, and rural areas.

The opening of the “Hall of Justice and Law Enforcement Center” in the year 2000 placed both operations within a single

facility. This renovated facility at 575 South 10th Street in Lincoln is an example of the cooperation exhibited by the city

and county in furthering the efficient delivery of governmental services to the community. Substations/reporting stations

serve as satellite locations in neighborhoods to increase law enforcement visibility in areas where the need is greatest.

While future expansion, relocations, or facility rehabilitation to support law enforcement efforts could occur during the 25

year planning period, none are known at this time.

MEDICAL HEALTH CARE

Currently, Bryan LGH West and St. Elizabeth’s Hospitals are undergoing significant expansions. The Bryan LGH East cam-

pus and Madonna Rehabilitation hospitals also recently underwent major renovations and construction as well. These four

campuses, located near existing residential neighborhoods are expected to remain the vital core to health care services in the

county and region. It is important to Lancaster County citizens and other surrounding areas to develop Lincoln as a major

network of quality regional health care services at reasonable costs.

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Community Facilities

Hospitals represent one of the highest and most important community service land uses. Further construction on these cam-

puses in the future is likely. Any hospital expansion will need to take into consideration the impact on the adjacent neigh-

borhoods. Hospitals are planning on using parking garages and multi-story construction in order to maximize the use of the

land.

The Veterans’ Medical Center at 600 South 70th Street was established in 1930. For over seven decades the handsome com-

plex of Colonial style buildings has served veterans throughout the region. The buildings and grounds are eligible for list-

ing on the National Register of Historic Places. The site is an important part of the history of Lincoln and Lancaster

County.

The Veterans’ Center faces an uncertain future. If the federal government deems that its current hospital use is to be discon-

tinued, then any redevelopment of the site (including the site of the former residence on the grounds) should be done in a

manner that respects the character of the historic property and adjacent neighborhood.

Another major factor in health care is the expansion of medical office space throughout Lincoln. Recently, new medical

office buildings have been constructed in both the southern and northern portions of the city. This trend is likely to contin-

ue into the immediate future as the demand for health care services increases as a result of the community’s growing and

aging population base.

The Community Mental Health Center of Lancaster County (CMHC) operates from multiple service sites around Lincoln,

serving mental health needs of persons in Lancaster County. The Crisis Center Program serves all of Southeast Nebraska

for emergency protective custody evaluations out of the main site at 2200 St. Mary’s Avenue. Continued population

increases in Lancaster County and Southeast Nebraska have meant increased demand for mental health services provided

both at the main facility and in program satellites.

OTHER PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

During the time period covered by this Plan, there will likely be a need to construct, renovate, or abandon certain public

buildings and facilities not already discussed in this document. At such time as these events may occur, care should be

taken by those public officials making these decisions that the Vision of this Plan is recognized and respected. This may

include the siting of a new facility, the abandonment of an existing one, the way renovations are undertaken, the manner of

financing used to complete the work, the arrangements made for the facility’s operation, the process followed in making the

decision, and the timing of the action.

Of particular note to local government operations is the Lincoln-Lancaster County Public Building Commission. This enti-

ty was established in 1991 to oversee any buildings, structures, or facilities used jointly by the City and County for a public

purpose. The Commission consists of five members – two from the City Council, two from the County Board, and a fifth

member chosen by the other four members. The Commission currently has responsibility for eleven buildings:

6 233 South 10th St. Building

6 Hall of Justice

6 K Street Complex

6 City-County Health Department

6 Northeast Senior Center

6 Health Annex

6 County-City Building

6 Election Office Building

6 Downtown Senior Center

6 LPD North Station

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Draft October 25, 2006